Tag Archives: Lord

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

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The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

—Psalm 14:1

 

READ: Luke 12:16-21

It seems to me rather contradictory that Jesus, who was so gentle at times (Matt. 19:13-15), would call some people fools. Yet, as recorded in the Gospels a number of times, our Lord used this derogatory term to describe those He spoke about—especially the Pharisees (see Matt. 23:17-19; Luke 11:39-40).

Jesus also used the word fool in a parable after warning a man about coveting (Luke 12:13-21). What made him foolish is not the fact that he built bigger barns to store his abundant harvest (vv.16-18). It would have been more foolish of him to leave it out in the fields where inclement weather would spoil it. Nor was he foolish because of his thought that this unexpected windfall was enough to last him a long time (v.19). After all, we are urged to follow the example of the ant in “storing up” the harvest (Prov. 6:6-8).

What made the man foolish? He left God out of the picture. He was called a fool because he failed to realize that his life was in God’s hands. While he was planning carefully for his comfortable life on earth, he failed to plan for eternity and store up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20).

Does your plan for the future have God in it? You won’t want to be called foolish by Him in the end. —C. P. Hia

Oh, why not turn while yet you may;
Too late, it soon will be—
A glorious life you may possess
Throughout eternity. —Anon.

 

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. —Jim Elliot

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Our God is mighty to save!

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Our God is mighty to save!

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Our God is mighty to save!! Whatever circumstance you find yourself in today, the Mighty One will save! That loved one who is still in the world, the Mighty One will save. That co-worker who persecutes you, the Mighty One will save. The teenager you know, whom the world has no hope for, the Mighty One will save! Amen!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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When God makes a promise

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When God makes a promise

Deuteronomy 7:13 says: “He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy wine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which He sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”

Notice that when God makes a promise, He makes it not just to the one who hears it, but to all of the future seed. When God said He would send His Son to die for our sins so that we could be blessed because when we have turned from our iniquities, He did it so that we could receive the blessing. Jesus died, not for His sins, but for our sins, and He died for our sins, bearing our curse, so that we could be blessed with His righteousness and His blessing. Today, think about how God sent His Son for you; not just for the people of yesterday, but for the people of the future. You were in the future in Christ‘s mind when He died on the cross.

You were on His mind!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint

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The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint

Though his back was ribboned with wounds, the soldiers loaded the crossbeam on Jesus’ shoulders and marched him to the Place of a Skull and executed him.

Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and they all gathered around him. They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matt. 27:26–31 NCV)

The soldiers’ assignment was simple: Take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they had another idea. They wanted to have some fun first. Strong, rested, armed soldiers encircled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The scourging was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But who would draw pleasure out of spitting on a half-dead man?

Spitting isn’t intended to hurt the body—it can’t. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. What were the soldiers doing? Were they not elevating themselves at the expense of another? They felt big by making Christ look small.

Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross.

Through the prophet he said, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (Isa. 50:6 NIV). Mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin.

God could have deemed otherwise. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered wine for his throat, so why not a towel for his face? Simon carried the cross of Jesus, but he didn’t mop the cheek of Jesus. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away?

 

They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. For some reason, the One who chose the nails also chose the saliva. Along with the spear and the sponge of man, he bore the spit of man.

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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God The Grand Architect

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God The Grand Architect

“Your Workmanship Is Marvelous.” (Psalm 139:14)

When I tour an historic mansion and scrutinize the building’s details – the quality, design, and decor – I can draw some conclusions about its builder. Is the foundation strong? Are the walls and floors plumb and square? How well are the most intricate details constructed? Does the design flow from one room to another?

We live on a grand estate called Earth. As we look at the beauty and intricacies of our residence, we marvel at the genius of the design. When we gaze up into the heavens, we are overcome with awe at the vastness of what our Creator has brought into being. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible, King David describes how nature testifies to the power of God: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)

To get just a small idea of God’s creative power, let us consider our corner of the universe. We live on one of nine planets that revolve around the sun. As the dominant light of our solar system, our sun gives off far more energy in one second than all mankind has produced since creation. With a diameter of approximately 860,000 miles, the sun could hold one million planets the size of the Earth. Yet our sun is only an average-size star.

How comforting it is to know that the God of creation is concerned with my well-being. There is no greater power!

Your View of God Really Matters …

On the next clear, starry night, go outside, gaze upward at God’s heavens, and worship Him for marvellous His power and wisdom. Tell Him how much you love Him. Listen for His voice in your heart.

What More Does God Say?

Psalm 92:4-5

Because God is all powerful, He can help me with anything

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Are You Worthy of a Miracle!

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Are You Worthy of a Miracle!


“We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great
mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do
not delay, because Your city and your people bear your name.” -Daniel 9:18-19

Some people don’t say yes to their miracle because they don’t feel worthy of a miracle.
They mistakenly believe that God only heals or delivers saints, or those who are
good enough or important enough for God to step in miraculously.

“With all the BIG problems in the world – why would God care about me?”

“I must have sinned and I deserve the situation I am in.”

Such cause-and-effect thinking is misleading. So, we believe we deserve our suffering,
our disease, our failed relationships, our joblessness, and we don’t think we deserve
a miracle.

We receive miracles – not because we deserve them – but because God loves us, wants
to deliver us, and thereby reveal His glory in the process – so others will see
and say yes to their miracles!

So say “Yes” to your miracle – so God’s glory will be revealed!

PRAYER:

Lord, forgive me for thinking I am unworthy of a miracle. Thank You that You work
miracles today – not because we deserve them, but because You are merciful. So,
I ask today that Your name be glorified through Your miracle-working power. Amen.

How could your miracle bring glory to God?

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Never ending Love

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No Greater Love

Never ending Love

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:8

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
NKJV

Have you ever thought about love in the light of eternity? One day all that we know here on earth will be changed. When Christ appears in all His glory, heaven will come to earth and our lives, homes, bodies and relationships will change forever. Yet, there is one thing that will never change. That thing is love. When we see Christ face to face, we will no longer need faith. As we glimpse the realities of heaven all around us, we will no longer cling to hope of a better day. But love will never disappear. The love that created the world and gave life to humanity will still sustain the saints in heaven. The love that walked out of heaven and went to the cross is the same love that prepared a place for us for all eternity. And, the same love that strengthens us in this life is the same love that welcomes us into the next. This love never fails, never wavers and never grows weary. This love is the love of God.

1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.” NKJV

Because this love will always remain, let us begin loving even now. We will spend eternity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so why not love them now? As we love each other with the love given to us through Christ, the world will see it and desire the same. When they do, we can point them to the never-ending source of love, Jesus.

 

Life Lesson: Love releases the power of the Spirit in our lives and in our churches.

Dear God,
Thank You for the love You have shown me. Help me to love others in the same way You have loved me. Use me today to share the love of God with someone I see. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Are You a pillar of encouragement?

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Are You a pillar of encouragement

Encourage the Struggling

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4”

Encourage those who’re struggling? Don’t know what to say? Then, open your Bible.

To the grief-stricken: God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Are you a cancer survivor? Someone in the cancer ward needs to hear from you.

Have you buried a spouse and lived to smile again? Then find the recently widowed and walk with them.

Your experiences have deputized you! Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God is the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us!

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Bound in God’s Will

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Bound in God‘s Will

 

They laid their hands on Him and took Him.

Mark 14:46, NKJV

The soldiers and officials who had come to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus seized Him roughly, punching and manhandling Him as they bound Him. They bound the hands of the Son of God! The hands of the Creator! Hands that had lifted in authority and calmed the storm at sea. Hands that had gathered little children on His knee.

Have you ever felt bound . . .

in a marriage where the love has run out?

in a small home with small children?

in a physical body wracked with pain?

Are you struggling with your bindings? Do you find that the more you fight against them, the more pain you inflict on yourself, so that you are miserable in your confinement? Sometimes binding is in the will of God. Jesus was in the centre of His Father’s will, yet He was bound. He did not resist the tight cords or complain about His confinement. He simply submitted, not to the soldiers, but to His Father’s will. Would you do the same?

Blessings

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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King Of Hearts

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King  Of Hearts

 

 

Mark 4:30, “And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?”

 

 

MARK 4:30-34

The word “kingdom” means “the realm over which a king rules.” When applied to God, it could refer to all creation, since “his kingdom ruleth over all” (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom more often applies to His rule in and through those who are submitted to Him. “The Kingdom of God” more specifically refers to Christ living and ruling in our hearts. So praying “thy kingdom come” is praying for the expansion and influence of God’s rule in the hearts of men everywhere and, ultimately, the establishment of His physical Kingdom here on earth at His second coming (Rev. 11:15; 20:4).

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Jews kept looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom here on the earth and deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. Although, during the Millenium, the Kingdom of God will physically rule over the nations of the earth, Jesus’ Kingdom is spiritually established by His Word and not by carnal weapons (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation . . .behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk. 17:20-21) Paul says we are already in the Kingdom of God (Col. 1:13). The Kingdom of God is therefore Christ’s “invisible Church,” His body. The Kingdom began during His earthly ministry and is still ruling the hearts of men today.

The new birth ushers us into the Kingdom of God which is infinitely greater in wonder and benefits than our finite minds can comprehend. To the degree that we do begin to understand how God’s Kingdom works and apply our lives to it, we can experience heaven here on earth. Pray for a release into the physical of what is already present in your spiritual being.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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You shall not murder

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The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13

 

Speaking Life

Most people would never think of breaking this commandment by murdering someone.

In fact it’s easy to skip right over this commandment, thinking, “Well I wouldn’t do that, so, moving right along….”

Be careful! Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:21-22 that unjust anger and refusing to forgive are acts of murder that we commit in our hearts. He says, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”

How often have we “killed” one another by holding grudges, hatred and anger over them? How often have we worked to secretly tear down others with our words and our gossip, speaking death over their lives and over their works?

I challenge you to search your heart for signs that you are holding grudges or failing to forgive. I challenge you to ask God to forgive you and to help you speak life instead of speaking death. I challenge you to refuse to murder others with words just as much as you would refuse to commit murder by any other means.

 

Further Reading

  • James 3:6
  • Proverbs 16:27
  • Romans 1:29-30

God Bless

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

Related articles
  • Why We Must Forgive (bummyla.wordpress.com)
  • The Sixth Commandment (suetornai.wordpress.com)
  • Sermon on the Mount Memory Verse, Week 12 (saltandgrace.wordpress.com)
  • Teachings of Jesus: Don’t be Angry (anotherchristianblog.org)
  • Anger & Conflict Amongst Christians (2pillarschurch.com)
  • 6 Toxins That Affect Our Walk With God – Anger – Day 2 (christlikeministriesnwa.wordpress.com)
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill (communionwithjesus.wordpress.com)
  • Week 4.4 Murder pt 1 (dailybiblestudy.com.au)

The Lord Must Build the Church

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Šelpice, Jesus Christ church

The Lord Must Build the Church


Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do
the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:5

Jesus not only establishes the church but also removes a church when it
loses its value to the kingdom. If a church doesn’t witness, doesn’t
cause people to learn the truth, and doesn’t pray or if a church is
only formed by customs and catering to the flesh, not advancing the
kingdom of God, the Lord doesn’t want His name on it. You can look at the histories of some churches and some denominations and see that they
started out on fire for God, doing the great works of God. Today those
denominations are totally cold and losing members. What happened? Their
candlesticks were removed.

The only way that you can do the works of God is if the Lord builds the
church. If the Lord doesn’t build the church, you are in vain to build
it. You can build a church in the flesh, but there will be no credit,
no anointing, no move of God, and no revelation. It will be only an
institution.

If the Lord removes a church, He will send someone else to be His
witness because He still wants all men to be saved and come to the
knowledge of the truth. That is the reason why you will see three or
four churches in the same place.

Prayer for Today

Father,
You alone are the builder and establisher of Your church. I pray for
knowledge to do Your will, for courage to remain true, and for the
anointing of Your Spirit to do work that will last for Your kingdom and
Your glory. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Think on These Things

Revelation 3:3
Malachi 3:4

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Healing Is God’s Will

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Healing Is God’s Will

 

Matthew 8:2, “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

 

MATTHEW 8:1-4

Leprosy was a hated disease and its symptoms are described in detail in Leviticus 13:1-46. This leper believed Jesus could heal him, but doubted His willingness to heal him. Jesus showed him His willingness to heal, and since He is no respecter of persons, He established a precedent for us (Rom. 2:11). This leper did not know God’s will concerning healing, but this is not the case with us. The Word of God is the will of God, and it reveals that it is always God’s will to heal.

Isaiah 53:5, makes it clear that when Isaiah said “with his stripes we are healed”, he was speaking of the physical healing of our bodies. Jesus provided for physical healing as well as forgiveness of sins. The very word “save” (Gk.-“sozo”) is translated “made whole” in reference to physical healing in Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, and Luke 8:48. James 5:15 says, “the prayer of faith shall save (Gk.-“sozo”) the sick.” Many scriptures mention the healing of our bodies in conjunction with the forgiveness of our sins. Healing is a part of our salvation, just as much as the forgiveness of our sins.

Nowhere do we find Jesus refusing to heal anyone. In light of Jesus’ statement that He could do nothing of Himself, but only what He saw the Father do (Jn. 5:19 and 8:28-29), His actions are proof enough that it is always God’s will to heal. There are certain things Jesus suffered for us that we should not suffer. Jesus died for our sins so that we would not have to pay for them (Rom. 6:23). Jesus took our sicknesses and diseases so that we could walk in health (Mt. 8:17; 1 Pet. 2:24). Jesus became poor so that we, through His poverty, might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9). If God be for us, then no one can successfully be against us.

The Lord has made every provision for you to walk in all He has provided for you today. Don’t put it off a minute longer.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day

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Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

—Psalm 119:97

 

READ: Psalm 119:97-104

BibleGateway, an online Bible resource, looked at the viewing habits of some of their 8 million monthly visitors. They found that John 3:16 was the most-searched-for verse in 2010.

I don’t think it’s surprising that it would be number one on the list. It tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to rescue us from our sin and give us everlasting life. Number 10 on the list is Jesus’ commission to His followers to spread that good news: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). Also in the top 10 are Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 about God’s good plans and purposes for His people.

The Scriptures are filled with truths to search out and share. In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the psalmist shared his thoughts about the Word and his desire to search it and be taught by God. He said, “Oh, how I love Your law!” (v.97). Our Bible reading for today shows some of the psalmist’s reasons for loving it: It gives him wisdom and understanding, it restrains his feet from evil, and it is sweet. Therefore, it’s his meditation “all the day.”

Let’s keep taking the time to read the Bible. The more we search the Word, the more we’ll grow in our love for it and its Author (v.97). —Anne Cetas

Search the Scriptures’ precious store—
As a miner digs for ore;
Search, and you will surely find
Treasures to enrich the mind. —Anon.

 

The more you read the Bible, the more you’ll love its Author.

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Know therefore that the Lord Your God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations

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Deuteronomy 8:18, Thou shalt remember the Lord...

Know therefore that the Lord Your God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations

 

Deuteronomy 7:9 says: “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.” This verse talks about “thy God”, not just the God of Abraham, not just the God of Isaac, not just the God of David, but your God. He is your personal God. He is the God that has delivered you. He is the God that loves you. He is faithful. Please understand that God is faithful. This means that whatever He has declared, He will bring to pass. He will never, ever turn His back on you when you are trying to go in to apprehend something and to put our hands on or to receive a promise. No, God is faithful. He is the God of love. What does love do? It does its best for those who are loved. God loves you, and He is seeking to do His best on your behalf. God is your God. He is your partner. He is your Father. He loves you!

God is Your God

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil

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Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil

Luke 11:4 says: “”And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”  When we pray, “Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil”, we know that prayer invites God into our battles. Prayer also invites us into the place where God can deliver us. It brings us to the place where God’s hand is waiting to be extended. His hand is strong with deliverance and healing, and in the place of prayer it can be released. Many times when we don’t pray, God is bound and separated from our problems. It’s not that He wants to be separated, but when He is without our prayer to invite Him in, He is automatically separated. The phrase, “lead us not”, does not mean that we are asking God to avoid taking us somewhere, but it means, “God, open our eyes when evil is coming. Unveil to us the smallest schemes and plans of the enemy so that we may respond and change course. Give us direction, and show us how to turn from the course where the enemy has laid a snare in our path.” God wants to be involved, and His involvement is filled with counsel, wisdom, the leading of His Spirit, and direction for your life. At the end of a prayer life that believes and depends on God, there is victory and deliverance.

Be led by God!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Increase and Promotion

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Increase and Promotion

Psalm 75:6-7 “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.”

By doing your work as unto the Lord, you are sowing a seed for your future. Say to the Lord: I’m sowing this work as seed for my new job, and I’m believing for the best job I’ve ever had!” This attitude helps you to be promoted and will also give you a much better day – you can rejoice because you’re planting seed!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger

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A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

—Proverbs 15:1

 

 

READ: Proverbs 15:1-4

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. —Proverbs 15:1

My car broke down in a tunnel during rush hour in downtown Boston. Angry drivers expressed their frustration as they struggled past me. Eventually, the car was towed to a station for repairs. Later it broke down again, stranding me along the Interstate at 2 a.m. Back to the shop it went.

Unfortunately, the repair shop also doubled as a parking lot during Red Sox baseball games. When I arrived after work the next day to pick up my car, it was hemmed in by 30 other vehicles!

Let’s just say I was less than Christlike in my initial reaction. I ranted and raved, and then, realizing it was only making them less willing to help me at the close of their day, I decided to give up. I stormed toward the glass doors and struggled to get them open. My anger increased when the station workers laughed at me.

I had barely made it out when I realized how unlike Christ I’d been. Chastened, I rapped on the locked doors and mouthed “I’m sorry” to the staff inside. They were stunned! They let me back in, and I meekly told them that Christians shouldn’t behave as I had. Minutes later, they were shifting cars to free up mine. I learned the truth that soft rather than harsh words can change circumstances (Prov. 15:1). —Randy Kilgore

O may I find in anger’s grip
The strength to temper tongue and lip;
But failing that, may God grant me
The courage for apology. —Kilgore

 

A soft answer has often been the means of breaking a hard heart.

Culled from: http://www.odb.org.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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No Distractions, Please

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4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

No Distractions, Please

 

Mark 4:16, “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;”

 

MARK 4:13-20

The second type of person Jesus describes is one who does receive the Word, even with great joy, but his commitment to the Word is shallow. Just as a plant must establish a strong root system to sustain its growth, so we must become rooted and grounded in God‘s Word. Too much attention on visible growth will cause us to become impatient and not take the time to become firmly established in the truths of God’s Word. This will always result in fruitlessness.

A seed planted in shallow earth will germinate and grow faster than a seed planted in deep soil. The seed in deep soil will put all of its energy towards the roots first while the seed in shallow soil has no choice but to put its effort into the growth of the plant above the ground. The plant in shallow soil will look like it is far ahead of the other seed for a while, but that will not last. It soon withers and dies, while the seed with roots grows and brings forth fruit.

Notice that afflictions, persecutions, and tribulations are instruments of the devil and are used to stop God’s Word from bearing fruit in our lives. They are not good things that God brings our way to improve us. They are instruments of Satan. These things are designed to take our attention off of God’s Word, thereby stopping the Word from taking root in us. It’s like the runner who spends all of his time in the grandstands arguing with the hecklers over the way he’s running the race. He may win an argument, but he will lose the race. We must not let anything distract us from meditating on God’s Word day and night, for only then will we make our way prosperous and have good success (Josh. 1:8). By consistently putting God’s Word in first place in every area of your life, you will let that Word become so rooted in you that nothing can get it out.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Success

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Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers

Success

I’ve never met a person who did not want to be successful.

The desire to succeed is God-given.

God wants you to be successful.

John writes, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” –3 John 2 (KJV)

That’s what I describe as nothing broken and nothing missing.

That’s your spiritual walk, your emotions, your finances, your job, your health, your relationships, your household and the list goes on and on.

 

You Are As He Is

Take a moment to imagine how God sees you right now.

Because of Jesus Christ’s finished work at the Cross, God sees us as kings and priests. We are as He (Christ) is in this world.

Doesn’t it make you feel great knowing that God sees the finished product in you?

Remember this feeling because success in life is a journey, not a destination.

There will be times in life when you feel insignificant and down. There will be times when you don’t feel like taking another step.

That’s when you need to say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”

 

It’s Not What You Do Once in a While that Makes the Difference

 

Success doesn’t happen overnight.

In most cases, what we see as the big pay-off is the result of someone’s continual dedication to correct information and association.

That’s why it is critically important to remind yourself of who you are in Christ.

I recommend making this reminder part of your daily routine. I also recommend that you commit to reading your Bible on a daily basis.

I’ve often said that if you want to be a leader, you’ve got to be a reader.

It has never been easier, than in today’s day and age, to renew your mind.

There are audio books, podcasts, YouTube videos, e-books, and countless other forms of high-quality education.

After stretching your mind, you’ll begin to dream bigger and prioritize your life. You’ll regain that get-up-and-go attitude that you thought was lost.

 

A renewed mind results in a renewed attitude.

You see, success in life depends more on your attitude than it does on your surroundings or the people who are currently causing roadblocks in your life.

I’ve found that unsuccessful people have an attitude of avoidance.

They avoid taking responsibility. They avoid risk. They try to avoid failure.

On the other hand, successful people turn failure into feedback.

They realize that life is a path so they keep moving. They don’t stop to dwell on their mistakes.

Instead of focusing on the negative consequences of failure, they see each setback as a bump in the road to prosperity.

 

What are you focusing on?

We were doing business with a particular organization and they were doing a great job. Then they began to branch out into other areas.

Soon, they were spreading themselves and their staff so thin, they were unable to perform on the level that earned them our business. Bottom line is, it cost them a client.

The most successful businesses (and people) narrow their focus and concentrate their efforts on the things they do best.

When we branch out and try to be all things to all people, we misplace what makes us great.

 

There is power in narrowing your focus.

It is through Christ finished work that we are able to do all things.

It is by His blood that we are overcomers.

 

Focus on Him and you will be successful.

I call you blessed.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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